Long shot maybe?

[totalcomfort]

I just sold my first gen I couldn’t keep it I had no confidence in it. I loved the power but the handling of my 07 scared me. I rebuilt forks and put in progressive springs in have stock rear shocks. From what I have
e read you could spend a pile of cash getting it to handle. So is a second gen the answer? I am not asking for sport bike handling but at least as good as my second bike a Honda goldwing. Don’t laugh these bikes handle a lot better than some people think. Anyone around Arkansas have one maybe I could try for a very short ride? Steak dinner and a beer for your time. I cant find any close to me for sale to go check out.

 

[Bruiser1198]

Did you set your Gen 1 up for your weight and riding style? , I had only Progressive springs {no air} in the front forks and Works Street Trackers {stock length} the rear with a 17 rear wheel 18/55/17 tire and stock front tire , radials and set up for your riding style will do a good bit for the Max . I had a total of $1,700.00 in my wheel and springs and shocks , not cheap but made a huge difference !

 

[gentsvmax]

I just sold my first gen I couldn’t keep it I had no confidence in it. I loved the power but the handling of my 07 scared me. I rebuilt forks and put in progressive springs in have stock rear shocks. From what I have
e read you could spend a pile of cash getting it to handle. So is a second gen the answer? I am not asking for sport bike handling but at least as good as my second bike a Honda goldwing. Don’t laugh these bikes handle a lot better than some people think. Anyone around Arkansas have one maybe I could try for a very short ride? Steak dinner and a beer for your time. I cant find any close to me for sale to go check out.

I got to have an Aspencade for a weekend awhile back and man what a total package of a machine.
GREAT handling, Mad torque throughout, Good mileage, on and on . I had it with my girlfriend and without, we were totally impressed, so I hear ya when you say "at least as good" in the handling dept.

 

[Zeus36]

...I just sold my first gen I couldn’t keep it I had no confidence in it. I loved the power but the handling of my 07 scared me. I rebuilt forks and put in progressive springs in have stock rear shocks. From what I have
e read you could spend a pile of cash getting it to handle. So is a second gen the answer? I am not asking for sport bike handling but at least as good as my second bike a Honda goldwing. Don’t laugh these bikes handle a lot better than some people think...

There were a few things you could have done to your 07 in improve handling and it wouldn't have cost a pile of cash:
1. Frame braces
2. Solid billet fork brace
3. Solid engine mounts
4. Steering dampner
5. Progressive rear shocks (maybe a small pile of cash)
6. Engine guards (extra frame stiffeners)
7. Metal knee guards (something to squeeze onto)
8. Handlebar turnbuckle-style brace

More expensive:

1. 17 inch rims and radial tires
2. Inverted fork with larger trees
3. Ohlins or Bilstein rear shocks
4. Heavier swingarm

 

[user 16790]

new tyres and a change of handlebar shape can make a big difference

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I owned two gen 1s. One of them had Racetech gold cartridge emulators, Works shocks, fork brace, solid motor mounts, an 18” rear wheel with radials front and rear, and probably a few other things I’m forgetting. It was noticeably better than the more stockish one I had but not great. My gen 2 has a Traxxion-revalved shock and Shinkos and that’s it in the handling department. It is night and day better than the gen 1s. I scrape pegs on it easily at will.

I am in Carbondale, IL, and you’re welcome to take it for a ride. Only caveat is that I need to replace the rear Shinko—it’s mostly worn out and has gotten slippery, so you have to be very gentle on the throttle when leaned over so the tail doesn’t step out and pitch you off. To be honest, I’d feel a lot better about a test ride when the weather warms up—even the front tire is slippery when it’s this cold out (highs in the 30s, or maybe 40s on a good day).

Bottom line, the gen 2 handles much better than even a gen 1 that has had the full gamut of suspension upgrades thrown at it. I think it would be a good fit for you.

 

[totalcomfort]

I owned two gen 1s. One of them had Racetech gold cartridge emulators, Works shocks, fork brace, solid motor mounts, an 18” rear wheel with radials front and rear, and probably a few other things I’m forgetting. It was noticeably better than the more stockish one I had but not great. My gen 2 has a Traxxion-revalved shock and Shinkos and that’s it in the handling department. It is night and day better than the gen 1s. I scrape pegs on it easily at will.

I am in Carbondale, IL, and you’re welcome to take it for a ride. Only caveat is that I need to replace the rear Shinko—it’s mostly worn out and has gotten slippery, so you have to be very gentle on the throttle when leaned over so the tail doesn’t step out and pitch you off. To be honest, I’d feel a lot better about a test ride when the weather warms up—even the front tire is slippery when it’s this cold out (highs in the 30s, or maybe 40s on a good day).

Bottom line, the gen 2 handles much better than even a gen 1 that has had the full gamut of suspension upgrades thrown at it. I think it would be a good fit for you.

That last statement is what I wanted to hear, the hunt for a gen 2 begins.

 

[85vmax]

They are 2 different bikes. It's like driving a 64 vs a 2021 vette.
To me, my gen1 is like driving the v8 gremlin I had way back when.

 

[VMAXXIMUM]

I ride a gen1 and run radials, solid motor mounts....I scrape pegs easily and at will. In fact I use my max at track days and not the drag variety. It’s no sport bike but I hold my own dragging knee. If yours scared you then you did the right thing by sending it along.

 

[desert_max]

I am no canyon carver, but I have ridden motorcycles vigorously for many many years. Last spring a bunch of us went up through Yarnelll to Prescott and I was on my freshly refurbished 86 Vmax. 100% stock. One of the guys was on a modified ZRX1100. He and I tangled all day and Mr Max gave him all he could handle.

There were only a couple squirrelly moments but none that scared me. If anybody knows the area, they know that's a pretty intense run. Yes, the frame wallow leaves a lot to be desired in the handling department, but it is livable and as folks have noted here can be addressed.

 

[Fire-medic]

I am no canyon carver, but I have ridden motorcycles vigorously for many many years. Last spring a bunch of us went up through Yarnelll to Prescott and I was on my freshly refurbished 86 Vmax. 100% stock. One of the guys was on a modified ZRX1100. He and I tangled all day and Mr Max gave him all he could handle.

There were only a couple squirrelly moments but none that scared me. If anybody knows the area, they know that's a pretty intense run. Yes, the frame wallow leaves a lot to be desired in the handling department, but it is livable and as folks have noted here can be addressed.

Not to-doubt your cornering exploits, but someone on a 'modified ZRX1100' who cannot drop a '100% stock VMax,' either isn't trying too-hard, or isn't capable of what his ride is (I suspect the former). I can understand your enthusiasm for wringing the neck of your bike against a guy on a much-newer technology sporting standard. Possibly in a straight line, the VMax can do more to hold its own, but the relaxed geometry and the damper rods in the front end, with 40mm downtubes, and the OEM rear shocks, with a steel frame, on bias-ply tires, all pushing 600 lbs through corners, isn't my idea of a corner-carver. I like the bike for what it is, a muscle-bike which outlasted all other potentates to the throne, which lasted longer in the marketplace than Henry Ford's ubiquitous Model T, a factoid I like to mention.

If you have a GoPro, next-time, show us some pics of your fun on the roads, be careful, and show-up that guy on what a VMax can do.

 

[desert_max]

Ok. So the guy is well over 70 with nothing to prove, has a stable of classics and wasn't really pushing it (it was off its game). But, he did mention that he was surprised that I'd stuck with him as closely as I had - when the rest of the group had fallen well back (Valkyries and a couple of GL1000s).

Tough crowd.

And for the record, Arizona has a lot of unsung "motorcycle roads" that easily rank among the best in the country. Google "Devil's Highway" for one of the more noteworthy paths (and a neat history lesson). There are others with less catchy names that are worth a road trip to experience.